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After missing the last World Cup, Italy is back in the game. With a talented team, the Squadra Azzurra is one of the favourites for this year’s tournament.
- 🔎 Euro 2020: Italy in a nutshell
- 👥 Italy’s lineup: Euro 2020-2021
- 👕 Italy’s jerseys
- 🗓️ Italy’s match schedule (Group A)
- 🏃Italy’s preparation for the Euro
- ⭐ Key player for Euro 2020: Marco Verratti
- 👟 The player to follow at Euro 2020: Super-Striker Ciro Immobile
- 📚 Stats and history: the Italy team at the Euro
- 🥊 Italy’s main opponents
🔎 Euro 2020: Italy in a nutshell
Italy is making its return to a major international tournament after missing out on the 2018 World Cup. An unsuccessful finalist in 2012, the Azzurri failed to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 against Germany.
During the Euro 2020 qualifiers, Italy made an impression with ten wins in as many games. Finland was indeed the Italians’ only real opponent. But with 37 goals scored and only four conceded, they showed how serious they are. Above all, they reminded us that, in addition to their famous ironclad defence, they now have a fiery attack.
Italy is a balanced team at all levels. Often previously labelled as an ageing team, they now have young players who represent the future of the national team.
👥 Italy’s lineup: Euro 2020-2021
The Azzurri, after having relied on a stable and rather ageing team for a long time, can now rely on a mix of youth and experience. Young talents and experienced players (Bonucci, Chiellini, Insigne) are the main ingredients in the recipe concocted by coach Roberto Mancini. Italy, with their new look, are among the favourites for the tournament.
The 26-man Squad
Here is, finally, the list of the players called up by Roberto Mancini, with the majority of them coming from Serie A clubs: the Italian National Championship.
- Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma – Alex Meret – Salvatore Sirigu
- Defenders: Francesco Acerbi – Alessandro Bastoni – Leonardo Bonucci – Giorgio Chiellini – Giovanni Di Lorenzo – Alessandro Florenzi – Leonardo Spinazzola – Emerson Palmieri – Rafael Toloi
- Midfielders: Nicolò Barella – Bryan Cristante – Jorginho – Manuel Locatelli – Gaetano Castrovilli – Stefano Sensi – Marco Verratti
- Forwards: Andrea Belotti – Domenico Berardi – Federico Bernardeschi – Federico Chiesa – Ciro Immobile – Lorenzo Insigne – Giacomo Raspadori
#Azzurri 🇮🇹
📣 The 26 players called-up for #EURO2020 by Coach Roberto #Mancini 🇪🇺#Euros #Italy #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/T2h6CiIrND
— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@azzurri) June 1, 2021
Manager: Robert Mancini, the man who has put things right
Appointed to lead the national team after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Roberto Mancini has put the team back in order. Gradually, he rebuilt the team and they qualified for Euro 2020 by finishing first in their group and setting a record of 10 wins in 2019 in the process. The record was later extended to 12. Roberto Mancini’s contract has been extended until the next World Cup following his team’s recent performances.
👕 Italy’s jerseys
Italy has chosen to wear three shirts, unlike their opponents. Blue, white and green.
🗓️ Italy’s match schedule (Group A)
Italy is in Group A for Euro 2020. The first in alphabetical order. They will open the tournament with a match against Turkey.
The Italians will then face Switzerland and Wales in June 2021.
Like England and Germany, Italy will have the chance to play their three group matches at home as they will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, one of the twelve Euro 2020 stadiums. This is a very big advantage!
🏃Italy’s preparation for the Euro
Italy qualified directly for the competition (played in 2021). They concluded their qualifying campaign without a single defeat or draw.
10 matches, 10 wins and a strong first place in Group J in front of Finland.
Euro 2020 Qualification Results
Then, whilst waiting for the Euro, the Squadra Azzurra shone during the Nations League by finishing unbeaten and 1st in their group in front of the Netherlands.
The group was made up of strong teams with Poland and the surprising Bosnia-Herzegovina. Italy did well and will face Spain in the semi-final in October.
Nations League Results
- 04.09.20 – Italy 1 – 1 Bosnia
- 07.09.20 – Netherlands 0 – 1 Italy
- 11.10.20 – Poland 0 – 0 Italy
- 14.10.20 – Italy 1 – 1 Netherlands
- 15.11.20 – Italy 2 – 0 Poland
- 18.11.20 – Bosnia 0 – 2 Italy
Three Qualifying Matches for the 2022 World Cup
Before starting the Euro in June 2021, the Italian national team will have 3 matches to play in the qualifiers for the next World Cup 2022 in Qatar. This is the opportunity to make a final review of the squad.
- 25.03.21 – Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland
- 28.03.21 – Bulgaria 0 – 2 Italy
- 31.03.21 – Lithuania 0-2 Italy
⭐ Key player for Euro 2020: Marco Verratti
The PSG midfielder is the star of this team. After a few difficult years with his national team, he will be expected to perform well in the competition.
After missing out on the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2016, there is no doubt that he will be keen to perform well in the opening match against Turkey. A key player for PSG, Marco Verratti will undoubtedly have the keys to the Azzurri’s game. The great Verratti can allow Italy to aim high.
👟 The player to follow at Euro 2020: Super-Striker Ciro Immobile
While Italy has often lacked great strikers in the past, this should not be the case at Euro 2020 with Ciro Immobile. The Lazio Rome striker shone in the 2019/2020 season.
He finished as the top scorer in Serie A and in Europe. His 36 goals earned him the European Golden Boot and Serie A’s top striker awards. At 30, the Torre Annunziata native is in the best form of his life.
On the team since Euro 2016, the then-Torino team member didn’t make a lasting impression on Italy. Four years later, he is now the Azzurri’s main striker. Ciro Immobile could be Italy’s lethal weapon at Euro 2020.
Non ho parole Davide solo profondo dolore,eri una brava persona e ti sei fatto voler bene da tutti! Ti mando un abbraccio ovunque tu sia riposa in pace campione❤#davideastori😢🙏 #RiPAstori pic.twitter.com/wpn7Wxrfa2
— Ciro Immobile (@ciroimmobile) March 4, 2018
📚 Stats and history: the Italy team at the Euro
Created in 1960, the Euro’s history is rich and so is Italy’s history at the competition. Find out more about Italy’s Euro history in a few figures.
Italy’s Euro Statistics
- Italy has only won the competition once, in 1968
- Italy has participated in 9 Euro finals, missing only the 1960, 1976, 1984 and 1992 editions
- The team has played in 3 finals with one win and two defeats, in 2000 and 2012
- Italy vs Spain is the most played match in the history of the Euro (6 times)
Individual Statistics of Italian Players at the Euro
- Mario Balotelli finished top scorer at Euro 2016 with 3 goals, making him Italy’s top scorer at the Euro.
- Gianluigi Buffon is the player who has played the most games as captain (13).
🥊 Italy’s main opponents
The Squadra Azzurra is in a fairly evenly-matched group that includes Turkey, Switzerland and Wales. Italy is obviously the favourites in the group, but watch out for Switzerland, always formidable in official competition, and Wales, semi-finalists at Euro 2016.
Switzerland
The Nati continues its rise to success. All it needs is a real landmark performance on the international stage to continue to progress.
➡ All about Switzerland 🇨🇭 at Euro 2020-2021
Turkey
Turkey is not used to getting out of the group stage (quarter-finalists in 2000 and semi-finalists in 2008). The task will not be easy. They should fight for second place.
➡ All about Turkey 🇹🇷 at Euro 2020-2021
Wales
A sensation in 2016, not far from the final (beaten by Portugal in the semi-finals after beating Belgium in the quarter-finals), the Welsh know how to do it.
